Apparatus for lighting and extinguishing lamps.



No. 835,652. PATBNTED Nov.1s, 1906.

J'. W. WHITE. .APPARATUS POR LIGHTING AND BXTINGUISHING LAMPS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29. 1905.

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APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29. 1905.

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No. 835,652. PATBNTBD NOV. I3, 1906.

A I. W. WHITE. APPARATUS FOR LIGHTING AND EXTINGUISHINGLAMPS.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 29. 1905.

a SHEETS-SHEET a.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH WIK-WHITE, OF BRIGHTON, IOWA.

APPARATUS FOR LIGHTINGIAND EXTINGUISHING'LAMPS';"

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov.- 13, 190e.-A-l` Application tiled NOvember 29, 1905. Serial No. 289,613.

To all, whomV t may concern.'

Beit knownvthat I, JosEPnW. 'WHITE, a citizen of .the United States, resid-ing at Brighton, in the countyof Washington and points on the streets of a town or city may be simultaneously lighted and extinguishedv l from the gas plant or from any other suit-f able place.

One object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this character which will be of simple, durable, and inexpensive constructionand which will be very accurate and efficient in operation.

Another object of the inventionis to provide means whereby one or more of the lamps or burners may be adjusted so that it will not be operated or extinguished when the remaining burners of the system are extinl guished.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and eflicient device for igniting matches.-

A further object of the invention is to improve and simplify the construction and operation of apparatus of this character, and thereby render the same more efficient.

Vith the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed. y

In theaccompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a portion of a streetlighting system in which my improved lamp lighting and extinguishing apparatus is-emplaoyed. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the lightin and extinguishing devices applied to one o the gas-lamps. Fig. 3 is a vertical: sectional view through the device.. Fig. 4 is a detail longitudinal sectional view showing the partsintheir projected position. Figs. 5 and 6 are transverse sectional views taken, respectively, on the lines 5 5 and 6 6 in Fig. 3. Fig. Yis a detail view of the match plunger or desired form vand construction.

ejector, and Figs. 8 and 9 are detailviewsof the match-scratcher.

The embodimentv of my invention illus-..l tratedl in the accompanying drawingsV is par-` ticularly adapted for use in villages and cities which have streets illuminated by lamps which-burn gas generated at or distributed from a central plant, and in the practice of it I provide at eachv of the lamps a device or ymechanism for automatically-lighting and extinguishing such lamp and at theplant,`

means for operation said devices. These devices, located at each of the lamps, arecontrolledby the pressure and suction of airorother fluid produced in a pipe 1, which leads from the central station to each of the lamps throughout the town.

At the central station ror gas plant this pipe 1 is connected to acylind'er 2, into which air may be forced by .one -7-5 of the usual pumps 3, which arefoundat all ,t .I gas plants. .A suitable pressure-gage 4 is provided upon thecylinder orreservoir 2,and f 1 a controlling-valve 5 is provided betweensaid cylinder andthe -pipe 1. A pipe 6,

whichmay lead to a vaccuum-pump or any f 4suitable device for sucking the iiuid fromthe vpipe or system of pipes 1, opens into the lat-4 ter, andin it may be provided a suitable conv trolling-valve 7 .v

The pipe 1 extends preferably parallel with` a gas-supply pipe 8, and branches 9 10, lead, y

respectively, irom the pipes 1 and` Sto each- A lamp-post or other point Where a lamp is lo- .v

cated. The branch pipe 1() projects lthrough the usual base 11 of the lamp-casing and has upon its upper end a gas-,burner 12, of any The gas is supplied to this burner through la suitable controlling-valve 13, which is here shown in the form of a rotary plug-valve having an operating arm or lever 14 upon its outer end.'-

The branch 9 of the pipe 1 is screwed into-the i' end 15 of the lighting and extinguishing-device 16, which is disposed above the base 11 to one side of the lamp 12.

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This device v16 comprises a cylinder 17, whichfhas its reduced lower end 15 projecting through the base 11, as stated, and upon its upjler endis screwed or otherwise secured a ead 18,

which carries a match-magazine 19, a match* f scratcher 20, and the connections for operat-v This head- 18, as shown, comprises a cylindrical sleeve whichv has secured upon one side of its upper end, -bying the burner-valve 13.

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means of a'bracket 2 1, a circular base-plate 22 from an enlargement -23 upon the center ofwhich projects vertically a pivot-stud or trunnion 24. The match-magazine 19 is rotatably mounted upon this pivot-stud 24 and is in the form of a vertically-disposed cylinder having in its periphery verticallyextending cylindrical grooves or channels 25, adapted to receive the matches 26, by means of which the gas discharged from the lamp or burner 12 is ignited. The ordinary parlormatch is preferably employed, and the cylinder or magazine 19 is of such size that the lower ends of the matches will bear upon the upper face of the base-plate 22 for a purpose presently explained, the end of the cylinder or magazine being spaced from said plate by the enlargement 23. The magazine or cylinder 19 is spring-actuated in one direction by means of a coil-spring 27, which surrounds the stud 24 in a recessed portion 28 of the upper end of the magazine. This spring has one of its ends secured to said stud 24 and its other end attached to a bracket-arm 29,which is secured to the magazine or cylinder 19 and has an apertured portion through which the stud 24 extends. A cross-pin 30, which is inserted in an aperture in said stud, is adapted to retain the cylinder upon the latter. In order to protect the matches in the magazine, I preferably provide uponthe upper end of the latter a ianged cap 31, which has at its center a tubular stud to receive the upper end of the stud 30 and which has in its edge a recess to receive the projecting end 32 oi an arm 33, which projects from the head 18, as shown. A stop-pin 34 is preferably provided in the cylinder or magazine 19 to limit the rotation of the latter and prevent the unwinding of the spring, said stud being adapted to engage the arm 33, as shown. This arm 33 carries upon its end 32 the match scratcher or igniter 20, which is so disposed that the matches in the cylinder or magazine 19 will be successively brought into alinement with it. As shown, this scratcher 20 is in the form of a tubular head 35, which has its lower end internally screw-threaded to engage the externally-screw-threaded guide-sleeve 36, which is provided in a threaded opening in the end 32 of the arm 33. The outer end of the head 35 is rounded or tapered and has projecting over its opening a series of spurs 37, which are adapted to engage the head of the match and ignite the same. These spurs are in the form of small strips of spring metal, which are of dovetail shape in cross-section and which are adapted to iit into similarlysha ed grooves 38, formed in the outer face of t e head 35. The inner end of the guidesleeve 36 is formed at one end with a recess to aline with the recess 39, formed in the under side of the end 32 of the arm 33.

It will be seen that when the cylinder or magazine 19 is rotated by the spring 27 the projecting head of one of the matches will be moved through the recess 39 and brought into alinement with the opening or bore in the guide 36 and the head 35. The rotation oi the cylinder or magazine 19 is checked, so that the matches are successively fed to the scratcher by the engagement of the lower ends of said matches with the reduced end 4() of an ejector or plunger rod 41. The latter is carried by a piston 42, which slides in the cylinder 17 and is actuated by the pressure and suction produced in the pipe or system oi pipes 1. This rod 41 is guided in its sliding movement by a guide-sleeve provided in a plate 43, located in the head 18, and by its engagement with a notch or opening 44, provided in the base-plate 22. Secured or formed upon the ejector-rod 41 is a right-angulary-projecting arm 45, which extends through a slot 46, formed in the arm 33 and in the head 18. This arm has pivotally connected to its outer end the upper biiiurcated end oi a curved link 47, the lower end of' which is similarly pivoted to the free end of a lever 48. The latter has itsopposite end pivoted to a stud 49, provided upon the lamp-base 1 1, and to its intermediate portion is pivotally or loosely connected the operating arm or lever 14 upon the valve 13 of the gas-burner. By means of these connections it will be seen that as the piston 42 is moved upwardly by pressure in the pipe, and hence the cylinder 17, the ejector-rod 41 will be moved upwardly to force the match, which is engaged with its reduced end 40, upwardly through the scratcher 20 to cause said match to be ignited, and by reason of the action of the link 47 with the arm 45 upon the rod 41 the levers 48 and 14 will be operated to open the gas-valve 13, so that the gas discharged from the burner or lamp 12 may be ignited by the flame of the projected match. When the pressure is relieved in the pipe 1 and a suction or vacuum is created therein, the piston 42 will be sucked downward, so that the levers 48 and 14 will be operated in the reverse direction to close the valve 13, and hence extinguish the light, and the ej ector-rod 41 will lower until its end 4() disengages the cylinder or magazine 19, whereupon the latter will rotate to bring the next match into engagement with said end 4() of the ejector-rod.

In order to permit one or more of the lamps of the system to burn after the remaining lights have been extinguished, I provide a latch-lever 49', which is adapted to engage a lug or pin 50, provided upon the projecting arm 45 of the ejector-rod 41. This latch-lever is adapted to have its notched upper end 51 engage the pin 50 when the rod 41 is projected and the lamp is lighted. Said latch-lever is here shown as pivoted in a bi-' urcated stud 52, provided upon the head 18 and having the notch 51 at its upper end and IOO form a handle. This lower end also carries a flat spring 54, which engages the cylinder 17 and holds the notched end 51 in engagement with the pin 50. In order lto permit the latch-lever to be held in its retracted position, I provide a pivoted detent or dog 55, which is adapted to enter the slot 53 in the lower end of the lever. This detent or dog is pivoted in a band or sleeve 56, which is secured upon the cylinder 17. The latch-lever 49 is held in its inoperative position by the detent 55, as shown, and is only released after the lamps have been lighted and it is desired to have one or more of them remain lighted after the others are extinguished.

The construction, operation, and advantages of the invention will be readily understood` from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the following brief statement: After the match cylinders or magazines 19 have been iilled with matches and the parts of the device properly adjusted the lamps throughout the town or system may be simultaneously lighted by the attendant at the gas plant. He does this by simply operating the valve 5 to permit the compressed air or other fluid in the cylinder or reservoir 2 to pass through thelpipe 1 and into the cylinders 17 of the various devices, which will then be operated, as previously stated. When it is desired to extinguishthe lights, the valve 5 is closed, the valve 7 opened, and the suction-pump set into operation to create a suction in the pipe 1, so that the pistons 42 and the cylinders 17 will be returned to their normal positions. Should it be desired to allow one or more of the lamps to remain lighted after the others have been extinguished, the attendant before he creates the suction in the pipe 1 must go around to the lamps which are to remain lighted and release the detents 55 from the latch-levers 49, so that the pistons 42 in the devices so adjusted will be prevented from being returned to their normal positions.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrii'icing any of the advantages of 'this' invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an apparatus of the character demeans to lock'said controlling means, substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus of the character described. the combination of a gas-burner, a fluid-actuated device for igniting said burner, means to control the operation of said igniting device, and manually-operated means to lock said'controlling means, substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a burner having a supply-valve, of an igniting device comprising a match-magazine, a match-scratcher, a sliding match-moving element, a lever, a connection between said lever and said valve, a link between said lever and said sliding element, and means for preventing movement of said sliding element.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a burner having-a supply-valve, of an igniting device comprising a match-magazine, a match-scratcher, a sliding match-moving element, a lever, a connection between said lever and said valve, a link between said lever and said sliding element, uid-actuated means for operating said sliding element, and a latch-lever for preventing the movement of said element in one direction.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a burner having a supply-valve, of an igniting and extinguishing device comprising a match-magazine, a match-scratcher, a-matchejector, fluid actuated means for operating said ejector, a latch-lever for preventing the operation of said ejector by its operating means,

and connections between said ejector and the valve of said burner, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH W. WHITE.

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